Kobe Bryant Makes Cameo in Call of Duty: Black Ops Commercial

As one of the most recognizable athletes on the planet, KB24 has a habit of popping up here, there and everywhere. Still, I can’t have been the only one who was surprised to see Kobe Bryant make a cameo in the new Call of Duty: Black Ops commercial. In the one-minute TV spot Kobe appears for just a few seconds, wielding a heavy-duty firearm in the middle of a simulated combat situation alongside various other civilians.

Check it out for yourself right here:

Anybody remember the controversy surrounding this print ad?

Appearing not long after the Gilbert Arenas gun fiasco, it naturally irked the NBA, who deemed it "inappropriate". Given their sensitivity to all things gun-related, I’m guessing they won’t be too happy to see Kobe looking like this on national TV:

Now don’t get me wrong here: I don’t think any reasonable person would have an issue with the commercial. The problem is that when you’re dealing with the NBA, you’re not necessarily dealing with the most rational entity. Any depiction of an NBA player interacting with firearms is a clear violation of their unofficial policy of institutional hypersensitivity. In short, then, this spot is guaranteed to get the league’s panties in a bunch.

So what do you think of the commercial? Do you think the NBA is going to be offended by the sight of one of their biggest stars packing heat? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment below.